Tragic Kingdom
by danniperson
Summary: Resistance Universe. Merlin returns to Hogwarts three years after a prophecy about soul mates is made. Following the creation of the Soul Bond is a journey through love, power, and duty that the Founders, Merlin, and Arthur were never prepared for. Slash. Mpreg. Merthur, GG/SS, RR/HH


**PROLOGUE**

* * *

Godric and Salazar were bickering as they road back to the castle on their winged horses. Godric's was a Granian and Salazar's an Abraxan. Helga only smiled from her place just outside the main entrance as she looked out at them. Their fighting was legendary, but these small arguments hardly phased their friendship. The plump witch shifted from foot to foot anxiously, wringing her hands as she waited for them to come closer. Her blue eyes shined brightly, a quiet chuckle escaping her lips upon hearing the topic of the argument; which of them had, indeed, been the one to kill the small dragon they were dragging behind them.

"It was my hex that did the trick, you old fool!" Salazar sneered.

"Hex? Hex my arse, Sal! It was my sword!" Godric announced, proudly brandishing said sword in show.

"Put that away," Salazar muttered in disgust. "As if a _sword_ took down this fine beast."

"He is rather small, Salazar," Helga said kindly.

"Don't you get into this, witch," Salazar growled.

"Is dinner prepared, Helga?" Godric asked, licking his lips.

"Oh? You didn't want me to prepare the dragon?" Helga asked innocently.

"Woman! We are famished!" Godric said, hopping from his horse. "The dragon is for tomorrow."

"Very well, very well," Helga said with a smile.

"Out with it, Helga," Salazar said, sliding from his own horse.

"Whatever do you mean, my dear man?" Helga asked, smile growing despite her attempts to reel it in and play clueless.

"You wouldn't be out here grinning like a fool for no reason."

"Wouldn't I?"

"Helga."

"Oh, fine, y'ole grump," Helga said, waving her hand at him. "Your boy is visiting."

"Which one?"

"The only one you like," Helga replied patiently, eyes glittering as she waited for him to understand.

"_Like_? Salazar doesn't _like_ anyone," Godric said.

"Certainly none of my sons," Salazar grumbled as he and the red headed wizard began up the stairs, each removing their wands at the same time, casting the spell over their backs to have the dead dragon float behind them.

"Neither of them. Though you should be kinder to your own kin, Salazar," Helga admonished.

"Then who in the world are you blabbering about, woman?" he muttered, stopping in front of her irritably as she was blocking the way into the castle. He was in no mood for her and her games. Rarely ever was, actually, which she should well know!

"Why, your prized student, my dear man," Helga said kindly. "Merlin is in the library with Rowena and Morgana."

"Merlin? Here?" Salazar asked, his agitation fading away into a look of delight. Or what passed for such a look on the grouchy wizard. The lines in his face vanished, whole body relaxing, dark eyes softening, and his frown disappearing altogether. "Why did you not say something sooner?"

"I do enjoy teasing you," Helga confessed with a smile. "I also enjoyed telling him how much you've missed him this past year."

"You did no such thing," Salazar scoffed. "And I did not _miss_ him."

"Of course you did!" Godric said, slapping Salazar on the back. "I could have sworn you would have asked for his hand the moment he finished his schooling."

The glower was back. "I have a wife."

Godric shrugged. "Attempted to bed him, then."

"Your sense of humor is quite lacking. In the _both_ of you," Salazar muttered, brusquely moving his wand, wordlessly casting a spell that had Helga stumbling to the side while the doors behind her slammed open. Helga squawked indignantly as Salazar smoothly glided into the silent castle.

"Come now. Don't be so sensitive, friend!" Godric exclaimed as he strutted inside after him, making a great show of standing aside, waving his wand, and single-handedly maneuvering the dead dragon in through the doors. Seconds later, Helga followed, smoothing out her bright yellow robes while Godric waved his wand some more so that the dragon disappeared.

"Did you really?" Salazar sighed.

"I sent it to the kitchens," Godric announced. "Your elves will care for it, won't they?"

"Of course they will!" Helga assured him. "They know how to care for your dragons. Careful while skinning him, collecting the teeth, eyes, claws, horns, etcetera then sending those things useful to Potions to the dungeons while saving the skin and awaiting orders as to what to make with it. Yes, yes, we've been through this many times before."

"Can never be too careful. That clumsy one ruined a perfectly good box of dragon claws while cleaning the supplies one day," Salazar pointed out.

"Mistakes happen, Salazar."

"Yes, well, they should never happen around anything useful. I'll tell you that. Tell it I'll skin it alive the next time he or she does such a thing."

"You don't even remember which one it _was_, dear."

"Of course I do! The clumsy one…small…big eyes…"

"They're all small with big eyes," Godric chuckled.

Salazar glared. "Now how was I supposed to know that? I don't consort with lesser beings."

"You require their assistance all the time!" Helga huffed. "One would think a grown man could lace up his own boots!"

"Why do it yourself when something else can do it for you?" Salazar pointed out. "I don't wish to argue about your silly pets, Helga. I'm off to greet our guest and alert them to the fact that the feast is ready. It _is_ ready, isn't it?"

"It's _always_ ready at the same time, Salazar. Every day!"

The cantankerous wizard grumbled under his breath as he marched down the corridors, Helga and Godric sharing amused smiles as well as mocking glares behind his back as they followed behind. Midway towards the library, the friends laughed as they attempted apologies but Salazar waved them off, wanting to hear none of it. Quite frankly, the only thing he was worried about right now was spending time with Merlin. Godric was dead wrong in his joking that he wanted to take Merlin as a lover, as if the man knew Salazar was even attracted to men. Surely, it would shock him to learn of it. But he did favor the young wizard above all others. While he was nothing worth bedding when it came to his lanky form and boyish features, he was a great wizard in the making. Already, Salazar was proud to call Merlin his own. _He_ was the one who had taught the young wizard everything he knew and would continue to do so until he was no longer needed. Truth be told, he had missed the other man, if only to enjoy that feeling of pride and accomplishment every time Merlin succeeded in learning something new. His students this past year paled in comparison to Merlin's natural talent.

Salazar burst into the library, arms open wide, mouth parted to demand why Merlin had not alerted him to his impending arrival but was stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him. Morgana was hunched over in her chair, hands wrapped in a death grip around the (around the what?), vivid blue-green eyes taking on a mad look as pale, dry lips formed words spoken in a raspy, chilling voice. "…_as they become…ONE_!"

Rowena and Merlin were kneeling at either side of her. The dark haired witch looked to be waiting patiently while Merlin grabbed anxiously at her slender form, trying helplessly to offer aid. Morgana went limp as Merlin tried to bring her straight, Rowena reaching over to gently pat the girl's face as she slowly roused, blinking confusedly. Footsteps behind him alerted Salazar that Godric and Helga had joined them.

"Wha…What happened?" Morgana asked drowsily.

"Is everything alright?" Helga asked concernedly.

Rowena frowned grimly. "You gave another prophecy, my dear child."

"_Another_?" Merlin asked.

"Prophecy? You're certain?" Godric asked doubtfully.

Rowena shot him a dark look. "I know well what I mean, Godric Gryffindor. I have seen this before."

"Seen what? She's done this before, you said?" Merlin asked, blue eyes wide, turning to each person in the room for answers.

"Yes, she has," Rowena murmured, stroking Morgana's dark hair. "She was five years old when she gave the prophecy that we would come together to create Hogwarts. I was skeptical at first. But a woman in the village called Phoebe assured me of Morgana's gift, that I should take her word. Then I met Helga when she was looking for an aid to her night terrors and knew that she was the other woman in the prophecy. But, that's a story for another time. The story of how Hogwarts was founded. This new prophecy is what concerns me."

"What did she say?" Salazar demanded, pulling up a chair.

"Something of how every person possesses only half a soul, and that another person in the world has the other half. We will never be whole until we find that other person. Great powers can be promised to those who become one with their missing soul. Those who have already found each other will learn to recognize each other. Creating the means to expand our powers or perish in the process."

Silence fell over the room for several long minutes. The founders were all deep in thought while Morgana rested her head against Merlin's shoulder, pale and sickly, while the young wizard did his best to remember everything Morgana had said, exactly as she had said it. Merlin had heard of Seers before, though he had never known this girl was one or that a prophecy had foretold of Hogwarts' founding. What did this new prophecy even mean?

"Soul mates. She was speaking of soul mates, wasn't she?" Helga asked.

"I'm afraid so," sighed Rowena, looking disturbed.

"Was she speaking of us?" Helga asked.

"She could have meant anyone," Rowena said. "It is best not to look too much into this."

"If we are meant to…" Helga began, but trailed off.

Rowena slowly nodded. "We don't even know what the prophecy speaks of. What it means will be created. We can only move forward, look for signs, and see where this path leads us."

"Soul mates," Salazar scoffed. "Does anyone believe that nonsense?"

"She spoke of it, Salazar," Rowena said coldly.

"The words of your bastard daughter mean _nothing_, Rowena," hissed Salazar. "It could have been anything."

The dark haired witch looked furious, but Helga walked to stand between them, smiling sadly as she placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "We are well aware of each other's views on Divination and other such practices…"

"This isn't…!" Rowena began, but quickly fell quiet as her ginger haired friend continued to speak.

"…and we should respect our differences. We shall speak no more of it. I will make a copy of the prophecy and will forget it until a time comes when we cannot. Then we will go to the Great Hall for dinner. The elves have prepared quite the feast for your arrival, Merlin. We would all love to hear about your new life in Camelot."

Merlin looked uncertain as he glanced to Morgana who was still in his arms, then around to his teachers. Could they so easily forget what had just taken place? Should they? Destiny was not something to ignore, was it? As the prophecy had been worded in such a confusing way, he couldn't blame them for putting it off. He couldn't tell everything it had meant, and it seemed they didn't, either. But didn't they want to know? Merlin was itching to discover whatever it was that was meant to happen. The others looked very determined, however. So, against his better judgment, he nodded, then set about helping Morgana to her feet.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This story is set in the Resistance Universe and if you aren't yet reading Resistance, I highly recommend doing so! While not necessarily a crossover for many reasons, some of the characters and events are inspired by the TV show _Merlin_. Especially the characters of Merlin and Arthur…Cause Merthur rocks, right?

Also a note to any Resistance readers who are reading this. They will obviously be dealing with soul mates and things of that nature. I feel the need to point out before anyone complains about it, that the reason soul mates are so unheard of and rare and when they spoke about there being so few people who found theirs, they were only talking about recorded cases and obviously not every person who found their soul mate or Soul Bonded was known about.

Hope y'all enjoy this story! Please review!

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